Policy leaders, investors, and startups converge at the Energy and Climate Tech Pavilion to drive sustainable innovation, funding, and partnerships for a greener India.
Day 2 of Startup Mahakumbh 2025 turned the spotlight on India’s booming climate and energy innovation ecosystem, with the Energy and Climate Tech Pavilion emerging as the heart of sustainability-focused discussions and partnerships.
Amitabh Kant, India’s G20 Sherpa and former CEO of NITI Aayog, visited the pavilion and reiterated the government’s commitment to fostering a robust and future-ready climate tech ecosystem. Joining him was Sanjiv Singh, Joint Secretary at DPIIT and head of the Startup India initiative, who praised the synergy between innovation and sustainability showcased by startups.
The day kicked off with an insightful workshop on legal and financial structuring for early-stage startups, conducted by Meyyappan Nagappan of Trilegal and Rohan Ghalla from Spectrum Impact. This was followed by a powerful panel discussion on climate tech adaptation and resilience, moderated by Jui Joshi of Climate Collective. Experts from Eeki, InRisk Labs, Praan Inc., IPE Global, and Stanford Angels & Entrepreneurs India shared strategies for scaling resilience-oriented innovations.
A major highlight was the fireside chat between Swapna Gupta (Avaana Capital) and Gaurav Kapoor MBE (UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office), emphasizing the availability of patient capital and the value of aligning with the right funding partners at different startup stages. Both speakers underscored the role of long-term public-private partnerships in accelerating green innovation.
Another key panel addressed the decarbonization of hard-to-abate sectors, led by Dr. Kushant Uppal of IndusDC. Experts from CEEW, BPCL, Chakr Innovation, BiofuelCircle, and Wavemaker Impact stressed the urgency of collaborative tech deployment to green India’s industrial sector.
The theme of circular economy was explored in a session titled “Driving Circularity: Overcoming Barriers to a Closed Loop System.” Leaders from Nestlé India, Ishitva Robotics, Hasiru Dala Innovations, Re Sustainability, PolyCycl, and Carbon Masters discussed policy needs, local innovations, and infrastructure development to strengthen India’s waste management ecosystem.
The Pavilion also hosted a cutting-edge session on Next-Gen Materials, moderated by Alankrita Khera of ACT. Industry leaders from ITC, Unilever, Zerocircle, HPCL, BacAlt BioSciences, and Brisil Technologies discussed strategies to scale alternative materials and build stronger bridges between innovators and the FMCG sector.
Conversations on green mobility gained momentum in the final session on “Decarbonising Road Transport”. Experts from RMI India, HeroMotoCorp, Bharat Petroleum, and Govidyouth explored solutions across EVs, clean fuels, and integrated transport systems, moderated by Sharvari Patki of WRI India.
Mirik Gogri, Principal at Spectrum Impact, highlighted the pavilion’s success, particularly the engaging Climate Wall installation that visually showcased the sources of emissions and innovative climate solutions. “Such interactive initiatives spark meaningful conversations and inspire collective action for a sustainable future,” he noted.
As Day 2 concluded, the Pavilion reflected a strong convergence of climate-conscious entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers. With Day 3 on the horizon, the momentum continues to build around clean tech, sustainable innovation, and impactful collaborations.